AISI American Iron and Steel Institute : Comments on President's State of the Union

For Immediate Release
January 13, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to media inquiries on the 2016 State of the Union address last night, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) president and CEO, Thomas J. Gibson, had the following comment:

'The steel industry had many legislative successes last year - from the passage of the first trade law improvements in 20 years, to the House passage of the ENFORCE Act to combat duty evasion, to the passage of a long term highway bill to fund steel-intensive transportation projects. Yet foreign government subsidies and other unfair trade practices, which have created massive global excess steel capacity and fueled a devastating surge in foreign imports, remain the biggest obstacle to the economic health of the American steel industry. We believe the president's trade focus in his speech should have been on addressing these trade distorting policies, as well as currency manipulation by China and other countries -- all of which are that are putting many manufacturing industries at a competitive disadvantage and should be addressed ahead of the president's TPP push.'

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Contact: Lisa Harrison
202.452.7115 / [e-mail]

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 19 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 125 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI's website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook or Twitter (@AISISteel).